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President Overturns Obama Administration’s Unlawful OSHA Power Grab

WASHINGTON, D.C. | April 3, 2017

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, released the following statements after President Trump signed H. J. Res 83 into law. Introduced by Rep. Byrne, the resolution blocks an unlawful rule by the Obama Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that violates the Occupational Safety and Health Act and fails to improve workplace safety.

“The role of the executive branch is to enforce the laws — not rewrite them,” Chairman Byrne said. “This OSHA power grab was completely unlawful. It would have done nothing to improve workplace safety while creating significant regulatory confusion for small businesses. I want to thank President Trump for signing this important resolution and blocking the Obama administration’s attempt to change the law through executive fiat. This is just one step in our efforts to uphold the rule of law and advance responsible, proactive policies that keep America’s workers safe.”

“I want to thank my colleague Representative Byrne for leading efforts to overturn the Obama administration’s unlawful power grab, which reflected a failed approach to workplace safety,” Chairwoman Foxx said. "For years, this committee has urged OSHA to develop proactive policies that prevent injuries and illnesses before they occur. Regardless of who is in charge, we will continue to hold the agency accountable in the years ahead.”